Expert360, Australia’s leading online marketplace for curated, on demand, business consulting talent, continues to drive the global demand for flexible work, recently announcing it has established its first international office in New York City.
With a dominant position firmly established across Asia-Pacific, Expert360’s expansion into the world’s largest consulting market (valued at $201 billion in 2015), positions it as the only Talent-as-a-Service (TaaS) platform with a global footprint. The move will enable Expert360 to better support its existing base of global customers, including eBay, Mastercard, Uber, PNC, KKR, Bain Capital, Qantas and Virgin as well as its US-based consultants, who make up 30 per cent of the platform.
It’s estimated that up to 50 per cent of the US workforce will be freelancing by 2020. The expansion positions Expert360, both geographically and strategically, to maximise the growing market opportunity for “on demand” talent and consulting services, which is currently valued at more than AU$350 billion globally.
Bridget Loudon, 28, Expert360 CEO and co-founder, said, “Our vision is simple and global. We have built a curated talent marketplace that is accelerating the growth of TaaS around the world and connecting clients with the very best consultants, anywhere, anytime. We are eager to build upon our existing relationships in the US to continue transforming the face of professional services.”
What exactly does Expert360 do?
Expert360 is a global curated talent marketplace where businesses can identify and manage top consultants for project work and where leading professionals can secure project work that enables a more flexible work lifestyle.
It has unbundled traditional consulting and put it on a world-class platform giving companies access to high quality talent, flexibility in how they engage them, and at a price that delivers good value.
Expert360 has over 7,000 consultants around the world available for hire on demand for specialty projects and contract work. Recent in demand consultant positions include: specialists in strategy, transformation and implementation; interim C-Level executives and due diligence projects for investment firms.
Close to 70 per cent of Expert360’s consultants have worked for world-renowned organisations such as Bain & Company, Macquarie Bank, McKinsey & Company or Accenture and more than 15 per cent have served as C-Level executives.
In July 2015, Expert360 announced a Series A, Frontier Ventures-led $4.1 million capital raise which comprised institutional investors, existing shareholders, high net worth individuals, including ex-Macquarie Bank managing director Allan Moss AO, and Rampersand, an Australian technology fund.
Taking a bite of the Big Apple
Expert360 is no stranger to the US with strong support from some of the most successful leaders in the TaaS space including former oDesk (now Upwork) CEO Gary Swart and oDesk VP and CEO of design marketplace Visually Matt Cooper. Cooper recently led Visually through to acquisition, will serve as a close advisor and operator in Expert360 with the US expansion.
Dmitry Alimov, Frontier Ventures founder and Expert360 board member, congratulated Expert360 on their global expansion, “The New York announcement is further validation that Expert360 is methodically executing on its strategy to disrupt the US$350 billion global consulting services industry. We don’t see too many businesses hit or exceed projections.”
“The Expert360 team, led by Bridget (Loudon) and Emily (Yue), continue to impress and we have absolute confidence the company will keep executing strategic plans with precision and speed to high standards,” Mr Alimov said.
Expert360’s US headquarters is located in New York City’s trendy West Village neighbourhood.
